Friday, August 31, 2007

Tall Ships and the North Church


Tall Ships and the North Church, originally uploaded by roxieffcc.

The tall ships came to Portsmouth and it was quite a parade. I thought the masts framed the North Church quite nicely.


Back


Back, originally uploaded by 139 Main St.

Someday I will have a museum of LL Bean bookpacks through the ages.


And Back to School we go...

Summer really is over. :(

BTW...there should be a law against starting school BEFORE Labour Day!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Seclude


Seclude, originally uploaded by toddclancey.


The last lights of summer glowing off the New Hampshire landscape as we ready ourselves for fall.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Lupine Riverside


Lupine Riverside, originally uploaded by w7xman.

Sunrise in the White Mountains


Monday, August 27, 2007

Fishing off the Dock


Fishing off the Dock, originally uploaded by jmjmjfalcon.


Ahhh summer...where have you gone?
Why do you choose to leave so soon?

There are still fish to catch
Boats to row
Water to swim...

I hear the school bells ring
And know it is time to say good-bye
Until we meet again.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

10:27pm


10:27pm, originally uploaded by Duff Suds.

Colonial Skyscraper

The perfect ending to the first day of our vacation, walking around Portsmouth, New Hampshire - after having dinner and coffee with the extremely talented and very nice Karjala's.


Friday, August 24, 2007

New Hampshire Country


New Hampshire Country, originally uploaded by noyesa.


Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Isles of Shoals White Island 20070028


Isles of Shoals White Island 20070028, originally uploaded by philw1776.

White Island named for "Shoaler" Capt. Joseph White, born 1750 and murdered Salem, MA 1830. One of only two lighthouses on the NH coast. Lighthouse established in 1789. Writer Celia Thaxter lived here in the 1840s until she was 12 when her father was lighthouse keeper. She later wrote about her experience on White Island in her books and poems including 'Among the Isles of Shoals', published in 1873.


With only 11 miles of coastline, I guess we don't need more than 2 lighthouses.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

PondScapes


PondScapes, originally uploaded by Winged Foot.

--PondScapes ---

What I ponder in the Pond
I see in my eye
Reflecting this, then that
Deflecting matter and light
Ringing Bright and Night.

---Mike 08/13/2007

Greenville Mill Pond, NH


Friday, August 17, 2007

muddy water


muddy water, originally uploaded by Ben McLeod.


Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Straight from the Horses Mouth


Tuesday, August 14, 2007

View Mt. Washington


View Mt. Washington, originally uploaded by djkfasjik.


Monday, August 13, 2007

come to the light


come to the light, originally uploaded by plousia.

Fort Stark, Newcastle, New Hampshire.


History of Fort Stark Historic Site

Fort Stark is one of seven forts built to protect Portsmouth Harbor. The others in New Hampshire are: Fort Washington, Fort Constitution (William and Mary), and Fort Dearborn (Odiorne Point State Park), and in Maine: Fort Sullivan, Fort McClary and Fort Foster.

The earliest forts were built to protect the colonists. As Portsmouth Harbor's importance increased with its Revolutionary War shipbuilding industry and the establishment of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1800, additional fortification was needed.

At Jerry's Point there is evidence of earthwork fortification, circa 1842, and a stonework fort, circa 1873. Following the Spanish American War (1898) the improved defense of key harbors became a national priority. Fortifications such as Fort Stark were constructed on both coasts during the Endicott Period (1890-1920) and at Forts Constitution, McClary and Foster. The basic defense concept was to mine the harbor entrances and erect gun batteries. No shots were ever fired in anger.

The final coastal fortification occurred during World War II (WWII) when batteries were added to Fort Foster, and Fort Dearborn was constructed. The five remaining forts are obsolete and today are considered historic sites or parks which are open to the public. Following World War II the navy took over the army installations and used Fort Stark primarily for reserve training until the property was deeded to the state of New Hampshire in 1978 and 1983.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Lobstering


Lobstering, originally uploaded by theothermattm.


It's not just for Maine... :)

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Pittsfield Balloon Festival: Mayflower Balloon


Friday, August 10, 2007

Romney at the Red Arrow, 8-01-07 (1)


Romney at the Red Arrow, 8-01-07 (1), originally uploaded by AndrewCline.

Mitt Romney answers a question at the Red Arrow diner in Manchester, NH, on Aug. 1, 2007.


Asked a Question About Healthcare


Asked a question about healthcare, originally uploaded by marcn.


Thank You South Carolina Republicans

NH primary won't be later than Jan. 12


By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter
Union Leader

CONCORD – New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation Presidential primary will be no later than the second week of January -- more than two weeks earlier than in 2004 -- courtesy of the South Carolina Republican Party.

Katon Dawson, the outspoken chairman of the South Carolina GOP, stood in the Executive Council chambers of the State House yesterday with Secretary of State William Gardner, New Hampshire primary protection law sponsor Rep. James Splaine, D-Portsmouth, state GOP chief Fergus Cullen and other elected officials to announce that his party's state-financed primary will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19.

It had originally been scheduled for Feb. 2, but Dawson said Florida's recent move to jump its primary to Jan. 29 infringed on his party's "first-in-the-South" tradition and prompted the move.

New Hampshire law requires the nation's leadoff primary to be held seven days ahead of any "similar election," and Gardner, who administers the law, made it clear yesterday that the South Carolina GOP balloting "will certainly trigger our law."

Dawson's decision means, then, that the New Hampshire Primary will be held no later than Saturday, Jan. 12 -- 10 days before the date set for it by the Democratic National Committee under threat of sanctions to the state Democratic Party and Democratic candidates who campaign here.

A new tweak in the New Hampshire Primary law this year allows the election to be held any day of the week. Gardner said he prefers to keep it on a Tuesday, but said another day "is not beyond the realm of possibility."

Gardner would not say yesterday when New Hampshire will hold its primary, and he said he did not know for certain when he will set the date.

But if it is on a Tuesday, it is now likely to be on Jan. 8. That would push Iowa's first caucus in the nation to either New Year's Eve or possibly before the holidays, perhaps as early as Dec. 17, if it honors its own law requiring its caucus to be held eight days before any other caucus or primary.

"There's nothing I can do or even think about until I know what New Hampshire is going to do," Ray Hoffmann, the Republican Party chairman in Iowa, told The Associated Press. "As far as I'm concerned, we are going to be No. 1 in the nation. As far as a date, I don't know yet."

Iowa's Democratic Gov. Chet Culver said, "Iowa will go first, that is the bottom line."

Left out of the checker game are the South Carolina Democrats, who appear to be sticking with the date set for them by the DNC a year ago -- Jan. 29, the same day as Florida.

South Carolina Democratic Chair Carol Fowler told the AP, "The date we've been given to have our Presidential primary is January 29, 2008, and the penalties for changing it are severe. No matter what South Carolina Republicans do, we are committed to following the rules of the party."

The same DNC rule placed New Hampshire's primary on Jan. 22, and, although it is no surprise, Gardner's clear statement yesterday that South Carolina's GOP primary will be a "similar election" under the law means New Hampshire has now all but officially disregarded the DNC rule.

The Republican National Committee forbids states from holding a caucus or primary before Feb. 5, and that will clearly be ignored as well.

"The RNC has indicated they plan to sanction any state that goes before Feb.5," Cullen told the New Hampshire Union Leader, "by withholding half or more of our delegates to the national convention. We might be punished for an action taken by our secretary of state, but if there is a sanction, we will deal with it when the time comes."

If Michigan moves up to challenge New Hampshire, as Democrats there have threatened, Gardner said, "it's not off the table" that New Hampshire's primary will be later this year.

"I have to comply with our state law, and if we have to go in the year before, we're going to go," he said.

'A historic day'

Yesterday's State House event had the look and feel of a treaty signing. Dawson called it "a historic day" and said he was proud "to stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends in New Hampshire to reaffirm the important role that both of our states play in Presidential politics." Gardner called Dawson's visit "an extraordinarily kind gesture of goodwill."

Cullen presented Dawson with a small jug of maple syrup, a photograph of the Old Man of the Mountain and a T-shirt emblazoned with, "Live Free or Die." Gardner and Dawson exchanged their states' flags, which they held up for a barrage of national and local television cameras.

Gov. John Lynch was not at the news conference, instead attending the funeral of Irish singer Tommy Makem. His spokesman, Colin Manning, said, "The governor has said he has faith in Bill Gardner. He supports whenever Bill sets the date and supports whatever Bill decides."

State Democratic Chair Raymond Buckley was not invited.

"Obviously, they can do what they see fit," Buckley said. "Any state moving forward is not good for the voters or for the process or for America. I'm not sure what Mr. Dawson is doing up here."

Buckley said he will bring his state party's national convention delegate selection plan to the DNC's Rules and By-Laws Committee on Aug. 25. He said it will include a Jan. 22 date for the primary but with an asterisk saying, "subject to change per the decision of the New Hampshire Secretary of State."

It is likely the plan will be found to be out of compliance with the DNC rule at that time.

Former state Democratic Chair Kathy Sullivan fought against the DNC's efforts to place a Nevada caucus in front of New Hampshire's primary last year -- a Democratic caucus that is now to be held on the same day as the South Carolina Republican primary.

"My preference would have been that any discussion about the calendar would have included more people than the Republican Party chair in South Carolina," she said. "Bill Gardner has been successful in the past in safeguarding the New Hampshire Primary, and I hope that continues to be true. However, we have a lot riding on his being right this time."

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Rock Climbers


Rock Climbers, originally uploaded by The Dining Philosopher.

There they are...


Can you find them? I invite you to click on this photo and trace back the photos in this stream to see the scale of this rock wall these climbers are scaling. Totally amazing!!

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

just like camp, with a dousing of booze for good measure


just like camp, with a dousing of booze for good measure, originally uploaded by Nikki McLeod.

later on the party either ends up here or the barn. it was a lovely nite, so this was the obvious choice. we were just short of a group sing, i tell you. we'll have to come up with a name for our wanna be camp...and it'll have to be goooood.


I can hear the singing...Can't you?

Got any s'mores?

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Bronze


Bronze, originally uploaded by sskennel.


League of NH Craftsmen Celebrates 75th Anniversary in 2007

Founded in 1932, the League of NH Craftsmen is one of the oldest and most prestigious craft organizations in the country. The League was formed during the years of the Depression to help New Hampshire craftspeople make a living through difficult financial times, through education and by building an audience and market for fine handmade craft. The League continues this mission today. Through its education and marketing programs, the League has fostered appreciation and pride, throughout New Hampshire and beyond, in the overall culture and creativity of high-quality handmade craft.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Pittsfield Balloon Festival


Pittsfield Ballon Pix 302, originally uploaded by clkilar.

Pittsfield NH Ballon Festival-- Sunday Morning Launch.


Sunday, August 05, 2007

Two Tickets to Paradise


Two Tickets to Paradise, originally uploaded by 139 Main St.


stevenaandrea says:

New London is quite lucky to have gotten one of the six remaining Zippo The Clown Memorial Ferris Wheels. Until I saw this picture, I hadn’t realized that any of them toured outside the American South.

If you haven’t read Zippo’s book “Tears of a Clown: 80 Years of Mirth and Heartbreak on the Humor Trail”, you owe yourself the favor of doing so.

Without going into too much detail, I’ll say that Zippo defined the Depression-era Side Show. He performed as “The Rubber Boy,” “The Penguin Boy,” “The Lobster Boy” and even “Zamora the Amazon Woman.” For a while he ran a dime pitch in which the prize for getting a dime to stick to one of the greased glass plates was a live squirrel monkey.

He died in his nineties in an unusual magic-related accident. He was placed in a box and sawed in half, as he had been hundreds of times before. But somehow this time he did not go back together properly. Most experts believe that his circulatory and digestive systems were not properly lined up before the magician pushed the two sides of the box together and reconnected him.

Being Zippo, he refused to go to the hospital. “Put me on the Ferris Wheel,” he said. He passed away just as his car reached the highest point.

There were originally fifty Zippo The Clown Memorial Ferris Wheels, but due to a design flaw which sent several cars crashing to the ground with the occupants inside, there are now only six. You are very lucky to have gotten the opportunity to ride on one.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Beach House


Beach House, originally uploaded by yorkd.


Summer...is there anything like it?

I have been away from this blog for far too long as I have been traveling all around the northeast. It has been a wonderful summer thus far, albeit busy. I hope your summer is going well and you have gotten a chance to get out and enjoy it before its over.